The sugar replacement Splenda has been linked to weight gain by a study conducted by North Carolina’s Duke University. In addition to weight gain, Splenda, which is used by millions of dieters and also in numerous diet versions of popular products, has also been alleged to hamper the effect of some medications.
Splenda (generic name: sucralose) is made from sugar, giving it a more “natural” appeal to consumers. However, the controversial new study, which was partially funded by the Sugar Association, showed that rats fed varying doses of Splenda over a three-month period gained more weight than a control group which was not given Splenda. Further, the researchers noted “significant reductions” in beneficial bacteria in the rats’ digestive tracts, as well as additional changes in the gut which could likely interfere with the absorption of some medicines.
A spokesman for McNeil Nutritionals, the company that markets Splenda, said, “Splenda is suitable for everyone—it’s undergone a thorough safety evaluation as required by regulatory agencies around the world. They all agree sucralose is safe.” Splenda, which is 600 times sweeter than sugar and twice as sweet as saccharin, has a 62 percent share of the low-calorie sweetener market in the U.S. and abroad.
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